MADISON, WI – The Wisconsin Government Accountability Board was awarded $2 million from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) Wednesday to improve the State’s ability to collect election data at the most local levels. The grant will be administered by the Elections Division.

“This funding will help us further improve election administration throughout the state,” said Nat Robinson, Elections Division Administrator. “This is a vote of confidence for Wisconsin and a shot in the arm for local election officials.”

Wisconsin was one of five states which were awarded the competitive grants designed to eliminate barriers to collecting and reporting election data from wards (or precincts). Other applicant states were Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Texas.

The grants are designed to “enhance the capacity of states and their jurisdictions to collect accurate and complete election data,” according to the EAC. The funding will be used to focus on reporting federal election results from the November 4 election.

Initial plans for the federal funding include a Web-based survey of – and training for – local election officials, and a database that will interface with the Statewide Voter Registration System (SVRS). Wisconsin has 72 county clerks and 1,851 municipal clerks who help administer elections.

“Because Wisconsin has one of the most local and decentralized systems of election administration in the nation,” said Kevin Kennedy, Government Accountability Board Director, “our Elections Division will now be able to develop and recommend best practices to other states that also emphasize local control.”